CHAPTER 177: CHAPTER 177: LET’S MEET AGAIN, MY FRIEND!

Chapter 177 – Let’s meet again, my friend!

Kaden and Asael stood there, their expressions basking in this newfound liberty...in this safety. But it was much more meaningful for Asael than Kaden.

He had been in this dungeon for too long and suffered far too much all this time. And as he looked at the sight around him, at the unholy sight around him, he couldn’t help but recall all his experiences.

To say it was painful would really be an understatement.

He only told Kaden about how he managed to evolve in this dungeon, but he didn’t tell him how broken he was, how low he had fallen...so much that he was ready to end it all and kill himself.

It was just so...hard.

It was so hard to be alone in a space filled with corrupted undead that wanted to devour you, it was so hard to be in an environment hostile to your very existence, it was so hard to think every night about the safety of the daughter you had left behind, and most importantly...it was so hard to be alone facing all these torturous events.

Alone in healing your nasty wounds, hidden behind a cluster of corpses.

Alone in the nights, where the undead rampaged, screaming internally for someone — something — to be there and help you.

Alone in...everything.

’Ah. It was so hard...’ Asael couldn’t help but think, his body subtly trembling as he remembered those times.

Those times when death was always on his mind.

But the only thing that kept him going was the fact that he didn’t want to be a cowardly father.

He was already a bad one. After all, what kind of father would leave his one-year-old daughter to look for an opportunity to become a Grandmaster because he wanted to progress his strength?

Because he didn’t want the fact that he had a child be a chain for his goal?

A bitter and self loathing chuckle escaped his mouth at that thought, ’I am so...hypocritical.’

And so, with all that, how could he dare to be cowardly?

One that his daughter would not even be proud of — well, it’s not like she would ever be proud of him with the stunt he just pulled.

But still...

That would be the height of audacity, to dare leave your daughter alone to get stronger only to abandon the path because it’s too hard.

He couldn’t accept such a thing.

He wanted to survive in order to go back and ask for forgiveness.

And so, with spite and defiance, he survived...until he met Kaden.

At that thought, Asael couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Kaden, who was lying on his back on the ground, utterly spent.

He looked at this young man with terrifying potential, he looked at the friend he had made here, in this dungeon.

His first friend.

Paradoxically, the place he came to loathe the most was the one where he made his first real friend in his life.

Fate truly had a weird sense of humor.

’Ah...is this what you were talking about? The joy of having someone to talk to, to tease, but also having someone that will support you in your darkest time?’

That’s exactly what Kaden did. He became his source of warmth in a world full of cold corpses. And for that...

’I will cherish this friendship,’ he decided with full determination, but soon he started to wobble as his body and mind wanted to rest.

He fell on the ground on his back with a weak thud.

And it’s at these times that The Will finally chimed, as if saying it had given them enough time to settle down.

DING!

{Glorious Achievement!!}

{You have completed the hidden legacy dungeon: Ruined Death.}

Kaden opened his eyes and looked at the special crimson-red panel The Will always displayed when he did something worthy.

{Kaden Warborn, you killed a Grandmaster-ranked being as an Intermediate.}

{Fabulous!}

{You are living up to your path of transcendence.}

{You have been rewarded with: The Origin – Knight of Death (Rank: Legendary), The dead corpse of The Black Knight Nasari Ai D’Kadavre (Rank: Legendary+), Runic Evolution Talisman (Rank: Unique), the artifact Key of ***** (Rank: Unknown - incomplete).}

The Will paused for a second, then finished:

{Congratulations, Child of Blood & Death.}

Kaden looked at the rewards, and his eyes widened in shock and surprise before a wide grin filled with untamed joy appeared on his lips.

An Origin and the corpse of the Black Knight. These two things alone could make him stand up and shout at The Will to give him another Grandmaster-ranked dungeon to clear. But there were also the two other rewards he didn’t know much about but he knew they must be as incredible as the first two.

Kaden was undoubtedly happy.

All his rewards had been mysteriously transferred into his space ring except the Origin. He didn’t see it.

A subtle frown graced his face, but just as he was about to voice his confusion—

[The Origin is already inside you. To activate it, simply will it.]

Death chimed, and profiting from this intervention—

[DING! You have completed the quest: Survival.]

[Remark: You have been exceptional. You have learned the importance of life, and you have seen and felt closely the nemesis of Death—Corruption. This is your wake-up call, Host. Death is not the worst thing that can happen. In fact, sometimes...it might even be the best thing that can happen. So don’t ever let your death or any deaths around you be a corrupted one...a ruined one.]

[Rewards: Death Coins – 10,000 | Stat Points – 500]

Kaden read attentively Death’s words then closed his eyes briefly to embed those words deep inside him. He shouldn’t forget them, and he shouldn’t take them lightly as he was the Envoy of Death but also...its child.

He lay there, sighing softly as his mind wandered through everything he just got through.

He only wanted a death origin and he wanted to obtain it by being killed by a death affinity beast and rewinding time before he got there—but instead he found himself in a harrowing dungeon where death was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

He had gained too much on a seemingly random dungeon he entered to escape a kidnapping lover foe.

He obtained a half fragment of death, he obtained a new understanding of death that made him reach True Intent, he obtained a legendary origin related to death and even the corpse of a mysterious being he can make his own undead, and especially...

He made a friend.

Of course, it wasn’t easy and the threat of death was as real as it could get. And this made him think...

’Is this how life is...?’

Take risk, survive, then get rewarded? And the more insane the risk, the greater the reward?

It’s like the world...The Will was telling them right in the face...this is the path.

This life was not made to be easy. It was not made for you to laze around and enjoy.

No, this life was made as a trial.

And only the worthy and the daring ones would be rewarded and taste the sweetness of evolution.

And as for the stubborn ones refusing to do so,

’Death...or even corruption or even being in a condition that even death would be the greatest gift you can get.’

All this made his will firmer and his path clearer.

He had to be strong, stronger, and the strongest.

Nothing else would do.

Kaden’s eyes were glowing with deep intense red as his thoughts and emotions settled deep inside of him, giving him the courage and will to continue the dreadful path even after just escaping a near-death experience at the hands of a Grandmaster.

Sighing softly to release the tension from his body, he opened his eyes, his expression returned to normal, and stood up shakily.

"Did you obtain something good?" he asked with a stiff voice — because of his aching body — Asael, whose face bore a huge beaming grin.

"Ah, Kaden my friend, what do you think about another dungeon run? This time let’s aim higher. What’s the rank after Grandmaster? Meh! I don’t know, but let’s just do it," he said, his tone half serious and half joking.

Kaden looked at him blankly, not believing this lunatic actually dared to utter such words. "I pity your daughter...if you can’t take care of her just give her to me, I will. I am very experienced in handling children. Just tell me where you live, I’ll retrieve her," he said while shaking his head, clearly treating his friend as a bad father.

Asael’s lips twitched.

"Sarcasm. Kaden, my friend, it was sarcasm for goodness’ sake," he muttered under his breath, not even having the strength to say it loudly.

Kaden grinned, happy to annoy his friend.

"But I am curious, where do you live? I’ll visit you," Kaden said, his tone light as he asked the question.

They had cleared the dungeon, and The Will had given them their rewards, so soon they would be teleported out of this dungeon.

As if on cue, a subtle white light started to envelop the two of them like a second cloak. Kaden took all the health potions he had and drank them all because he never knew what he would face outside.

His hand finally started to heal.

’That damn spider...fucking wait for me. If I don’t fucking kill you this time, I am no longer a Warborn,’ he thought with great anger, already planning in his head how to kill it in the most painful way.

"Where do I live, huh...?" Asael’s voice pulled Kaden out of his vengeful thoughts as he focused on him again.

"I am pretty ashamed about the state of my house, but with the evolution stone I just gained, I will make sure to make it worthy again before you come there," he said with a soft smile. The light around them brightened intensely, their parting was near.

So Asael sped up his words and finally...

"I live in the Empire of the Damned, West Fokay. You better be there, my friend!!!"

"And I am happy, so happy and grateful to have met you Kaden! So, let’s meet again and this time, not in a place full of beings who want to corrupt us, okay? Hahah!"

Asael said with a chuckle, his voice holding a very distinct tone of sadness behind it, before everything turned blank for the two of them as The Will got them out of the dungeon.

But the last thought of Kaden was not one of a sad farewell, but one of deep shock and confusion...

’...Fokay?’

—End of Chapter 177—